macrumors 68020

Apple typically announces a new product formally, then makes it available in no particular time frame. At times its relatively soon, other times it ends up being quite a ways out. Its a situation that's highly variable.

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macrumors 65816

With the mini rumored to be outselling the regular iPad 2 to 1, why would apple make any changes to a winning product?

There's been a clear lack of rumors, or information from parts sellers to indicate that we'd be seeing anything in a couple of months and secondly as I mentioned it doesn't make business sense.

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This is what they said about the iPod mini. Remember how it was sold out for months? Remember how the killed it and replaced it with the iPod nano? Yea, Apple will make changes (or kill) a winning product if they have something better up their sleeve.

macrumors 6502a

Apple typically announces a new product formally, then makes it available in no particular time frame. At times its relatively soon, other times it ends up being quite a ways out. Its a situation that's highly variable.

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It's more predictable than variable. When they announce a product that won't be available for months, as with the original iPhone and iPad, they're building hype. But when upgrading an existing product, they'll only announce a week or two in advance in order to keep from killing sales of the current model.

macrumors G3

Is march when the iPad mini2 is suppose to go on sale or just be released?

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It may not even be March. Rumors are rumors and not facts. But to answer your question generically, Apple tends to have iPads shipping within a week or 2 of being announced. It has happened that the cellular models have shipped a couple of weeks after the WiFi models.

With the mini rumored to be outselling the regular iPad 2 to 1, why would apple make any changes to a winning product?

There's been a clear lack of rumors, or information from parts sellers to indicate that we'd be seeing anything in a couple of months and secondly as I mentioned it doesn't make business sense.

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A change in parts availability could cause Apple to release a new version of something sooner. A better less expensive screen combined with an improved battery would be one reason for updating. Also, the chip driving cellular communications may need to be changed and sometimes a new model is better to indicate the differences there.

All in all, Apple will update the product either when they need to or want to or both.

macrumors 68000

There's nothing (credible) to indicate there won't be a release in March either. Basically, we don't know.

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That's not true at all. In the run up to an announce or release we get all sorts of information, leaked photos, leaked descriptions, supply chain issues, prototypes (winning designs and not), credible journalists writing about imminent announcements, speculation about dates of such announcements, new SKUs and part numbers, etc. We've had none. Last year when the iPad was announced, a month before the speculation wasn't about the details of the device any longer, that'd already been leaked to death, it was all about what date the announcement was going to be.

Looking at it from a business and product strategy perspective, you don't cut off a revenue stream that is going so well that you can't meet demand with your current supply by introducing a new product (which takes weeks to months to stockpile enough of around the globe for launch day adequate supplies). It's not good business sense to kill a product that is selling out, in fact it's beyond stupid to do such a thing, and companies (even the most stupid) don't do silly things like this.

macrumors 68020

It's more predictable than variable. When they announce a product that won't be available for months, as with the original iPhone and iPad, they're building hype. But when upgrading an existing product, they'll only announce a week or two in advance in order to keep from killing sales of the current model.

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Both of our points are valid.

Over the two decades I've been an Apple customer, there's been plenty of times when they not only announced a product, but also announced (during a keynote) when they would begin shipping. Only to sell out within hours, thereby making the other buyers wait as much as a month or more.

Extremely clever with words, they convince they had an ample inventory upon launch, but simply didn't anticipated the huge demand... yeah right

Conversely as someone who works in a large scale enterprise with products we make and sell, I do understand all that can cause unforeseen delays. So my point is I'm not bashing Apple, but instead I do give them credit for the exemplary way they manipulate the customers expectations.

It's been their key to success for years. Apple is nothing if not one of the best marketing forces in the world.

macrumors 65816

That's not true at all. In the run up to an announce or release we get all sorts of information, leaked photos, leaked descriptions, supply chain issues, prototypes (winning designs and not), credible journalists writing about imminent announcements, speculation about dates of such announcements, new SKUs and part numbers, etc. We've had none. Last year when the iPad was announced, a month before the speculation wasn't about the details of the device any longer, that'd already been leaked to death, it was all about what date the announcement was going to be.

Looking at it from a business and product strategy perspective, you don't cut off a revenue stream that is going so well that you can't meet demand with your current supply by introducing a new product (which takes weeks to months to stockpile enough of around the globe for launch day adequate supplies). It's not good business sense to kill a product that is selling out, in fact it's beyond stupid to do such a thing, and companies (even the most stupid) don't do silly things like this.

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Most predicted a ipad mini launch but did anyone predict an ipad (4th generation) launch 2 months before? People expected the ipad (4th gen) this coming March. SKU numbers were only leaked a few weeks before that. Although I agree partly that a mini 2 and ipad 5 launch are more likely in the summer or fall, Apple do tend to be unpredictable at times with their strategy.

macrumors 68000

Most predicted a ipad mini launch but did anyone predict an ipad (4th generation) launch 2 months before? People expected the ipad (4th gen) this coming March. SKU numbers were only leaked a few weeks before that. Although I agree partly that a mini 2 and ipad 5 launch are more likely in the summer or fall, Apple do tend to be unpredictable at times with their strategy.

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iPad 4 pics were actually leaked before the launch, not 2 months before but March isn't 2 months away it's less than 1-1/2 months, and more importantly, though, I would say that the iPad 4 was an anomalous release (a minor spec bump motivated not by adequate features to warrant a normal upgrade but by other factors, i.e. mini release & resetting the refresh cycle).

We're back on normal track now with the iPad, so they will release a product which is a significant change toward the end of this year (which is their usual refresh cycle duration), and same goes with the mini and we'll all know when those releases are imminent - it'll be as obvious as it normally is (in this world/forum of rumours), especially considering that it's logical to expect a redesigned iPad 5 with new slimmer mini-like chassis (meaning lots of leaked photos of backs, fronts, prototypes, drawings, dimensions, etc.) and a retina mini (meaning lots of the same leaks). If they stick to an end Summer/beginning of Autumn announce/release, I'd expect lots of rumours to start appearing in the Summer - just like we had last year (remember they were doing roundups of iPad mini rumours in mid-August!).

macrumors 65816

iPad 4 pics were actually leaked before the launch, not 2 months before but March isn't 2 months away it's less than 1-1/2 months, and more importantly, though, I would say that the iPad 4 was an anomalous release (a minor spec bump motivated not by adequate features to warrant a normal upgrade but by other factors, i.e. mini release & resetting the refresh cycle).

We're back on normal track now with the iPad, so they will release a product which is a significant change toward the end of this year (which is their usual refresh cycle duration), and same goes with the mini and we'll all know when those releases are imminent - it'll be as obvious as it normally is (in this world/forum of rumours), especially considering that it's logical to expect a redesigned iPad 5 with new slimmer mini-like chassis (meaning lots of leaked photos of backs, fronts, prototypes, drawings, dimensions, etc.) and a retina mini (meaning lots of the same leaks). If they stick to an end Summer/beginning of Autumn announce/release, I'd expect lots of rumours to start appearing in the Summer - just like we had last year (remember they were doing roundups of iPad mini rumours in mid-August!).

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I think that leak was towards the end of October a week or 2 before its release. A March release doesn't necessarily have to be at the start of March. It could be at the end or in April. In my opinion, a new iphone in March would make more sense, given the falling iphone 5 sales and the competition, many of which will be releasing new smartphones in Q1 but like I said, you cant really predict Apple so well just have to see what they release in March/April, if anything at all. Rumours seem to suggest a summer launch for iphone. You also have to remember that they may not be able to release products at the time they wanted to because of delays in their supply lines etc.

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